Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented Jan. 9, |900. P. D. WESCUTT. ACE'FYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Mar, 27, 1890:)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

m l l :nl f I l WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY me News PETERS co, wom uws., wAsHxNomN. u. c

No. 641,056. Patented lan. 9, |900.

P. D. wESCoTT. ACETYLEN; GAS GENERATOR..

(Application med Mar. 27, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

mw m x M m WITNESSES:

? ATTORNgY Arnnrr FULASKI D. VVESCOTT, OF CORNING, NET YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,056, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed March 27, 18991 Serial No. 710,570. (No model.)

provement in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of f which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in` acetylene-gas generators wherein the carbid is fed to the water in the water-receptacle; and the objects of myimprovements are, first, to provide a number of carbid-receptacles, each receptacle holdinga charge sufficient to iill the gasometer of the machine; second, to inclose said carbid-receptacles Within the generating-chamber; third, to provide an improved mechanism for feeding the carbid from the carbid-receptacles, with means for operating said feed mechanism automatically by the rise and fall of the gasometer-bell, and, fourth, to provide an improved construction of the gasometer and gas-passages. I accomplish these objects by the apparatus and mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents my complete machine in vertical section; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the top of the machine, on an enlarged scale,showing the carbid-receptacles and feed mechanism; Fig. 3, a detail showing the ratchet mechanism for operating the feed; Fig. 4, a plan view of the carbid-receptacles and certain details of construction; Figs. 5

and 6, details of construction, and Fig. 7 a` modification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the outer shell of the gasometer, and A' an inner shell, the outer wall of the gasometer-bell B being adapted to slide annular groove d at its outer perimeter, with in which the shells A and A are fastened by awater-tightjoint. (Shown more particularly in Fig. 5.) f The shells A and A' are anged at the bottom at a and a', these flanged portions resting on an asbestos or other packing ring e. An iron ring E rests upon the top of the anges c a and by means of a suitable number of bolts forces said flanges down upon the packing-ring to form the watertight joint. From the center of the base D rises a stand-pipe or water-column C. This stand-pipe is inwardly lflanged at the bottom, and a ring c, drawn down by bolts, as

indicated in Fig. 1, forms a tight joint between the stand-pipeand the base D. By this form of joint the stand-pipe may also be removed Without disturbing the piping of the gasometer. At the top of the stand-pipe is an enlargement F, to which is attached a cap-piece F by a gas-tight joint. At the center of the chamber formed by the parts F and F' is a vertical shaft G, supported bya hanger H, depending from the top of the cappiece F and passing through a stuffing-box, as indicated in Fig. 1. The shaft Gis supported on the hanger H by means of a collar g, resting on a ball-bearing,as indicated in Fig. 6. This shaft G is carried some little distance below the bearing g and supportsa second hanger J by means of av collar or pin g. Resting upon the hangerJ is a circular plate or table I, provided near its outer periphery with a number of holes, in which are fitted the carbid receptacles or canisters K. Thesev canisters are open at the top and bottom, and to close the bottom each canister is provided with a hinged drop or trap door L. These drops L are provided with pivot-arms Z, the

outer ends of said arms being held in lugs 7l, cast integrally with the plate I, and the inner ends of said pivot-arms rest in sockets j, provided in the upper flange of the hanger J. The plate I is provided with slots i' opposite each of the canisters K to receive the lateral operating-arms Z,attached to the pivotarms of the drops L. Above the plate I and rigidly attached to the shaft G is a small disk M, a ball-bearing being provided between this disk and the hanger H, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6. At one point in the outer periphery of the disk M is a cut-away portion or slot m, adapted to register with the openings t" in the plate I consecutively as the disk M revolves with the shaft G.

Supported above the cap-piece F is a horizontal shaft P, geared to the shaft G by bevelgears of equal diameters, as shown in Fig. l. At the outer end of the shaft P is attached a dial Q, marked to coriespond With the number of canisters K. In the present instance there are eight canisters, and the dial is correspondingly marked. An index-linger R projects from one of the shaft-supports p back of the dial, and rigidly attached to the shaft P is a ratchet-wheel q, having the same number of teeth as the dial has marks-that is, eight in the present instance. Back of the ratchet-wheel is pivoted a lever S, provided with a pawl s to operate said ratchetwheel. A chain b connects this lever with the top of the bell B. The arm of the index R is provided with a lateral projection r, which forms a stop to determine the movement of the leverS. The dial Q and disk M rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows when the machine is in operation. At one pointin the top of the cap-piece F (shown in different positions in Figs. l and 2) is an opening closed by a hand hole plate N, clamped down by means of a cam-lever O, removably held in lugs 0, located at each side of the hand-hole plate. This opening registers with the tops of the canisters as they are turned into position thereunder, as will be presently described.

At the center of the stand-pipe C is a gasoutlet pipe T, the upper end ot which is provided with a hood to form a water seal when the apparatus is to be charged. Connected with the pipe T below the base of the machine is a pipe U, which rises above the water in the gasometer and is provided with a hood u, similar to that on top ot' the pipe T. Connected with the pipes T and U is an escape-pipe V, which is intended to be carried outside of the building where the machine is located. This pipe V is provided with a trap or Water seal o, by which the escape of gas is prevented under ordinary pressure. Rising from the pipe connecting the pipes T and V is a pipe W, which rises above the Water in the gasometer, a long hood or Water seal w depending from the top of the gasometer-bell and surrounding said pipe to prevent the escape of gas except when the bell rises to an abnormal position.

X represents the service-pipe, which takes the gas from the gasometer and delivers it to thepipes throughout the house. From the bottoni of the stand-pipe C a large pipe Y leads out to one side of the machine and is provided with avalve g/,by which the lime deposit which accumulates in the bottom of the stand-pipe may be drawn od after each operation of the machine or whenever desired. Rising from the pipe Y at the outside of the machine is a pipe Z, provided with a draw-off cock .e and a funnel at a', by which the stand-pipe C is filled with water to a desirable level.

The operation of the machine is as follows: We will suppose that the machine has been running and that the 4canisters have been emptied and it is desired to retill. them and start the machine anew. The sediment at the bottom of the stand-pipe is first drawn oft through the pipe Y, after which the valve g/ is closed and water is poured in through the pipe Z until it rises in the stand-pipe C above the bottom of the Water seal t, the cock .e being closed during this operation and t-he requisite level oi' the water in pipe Z and stand-pipe G being indicated on pipe Z in any of the ordinary and usual Ways, allowance being made for the difference in pressure between the gas in the pipe T and the atmospheric pressure upon the Water in pipe Z. The hand-hole plate N may then be removed without fear of escape of gas from the gasometer back through the pipe T, the gas in the gasometer being prevented from backtlow by reason ot' the seals t, u, and w. The dial Q is now turned by hand forward until the bottom of the canister last opened is closed and until the arm Z of the next drop clicks into the notch m, formed at one end of the slot m in the disk M by the upwardlyprojecting lug cast thereon, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This fastens the plate l and disk M together, so that by turning the disk Q in a'backward direction the plate I, which now becomes a turn-table, and the canisters will also be turned, bringing the canisters consecutively into alinement with the opening in the top of the cap-piece F. As each canister is brought into position beneath the opening it is filled, and after they have all been iilled the hand-hole plate N is replaced, said hand-hole plate being constructed so as to extend down into the top of the canister last filled in order to prevent rotation of the canisters and the plate l after the machine is set in motion. A suitable packing-gasket is provided around the flange of the plate N, and when the lever O is thrown down a gastight joint is made at this point. The apparatus having been charged, the draw-off cock a is opened, allowing the water in the standpipe T to descend below the water seal t. The dial Q is given a turn one point to the right* that is, in the direction of the arrow-by hand, or if the gasometer-bell is still in elevated position the machine is left until the drop of the bell operates the ratchet to give the required turn to the shaft P and through it to the shaft G. This turn of one point in the shafts P and G imparts a corresponding rotation to the disk M in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4 and brings slot m opposite one of the arms l', which allows the corresponding drop L to fall, emptying the contents of that canister into the water in the stand-pipe C. The gas generated from this charge of carbid rises into the chamber formed by the parts F and F and passes thence through pipe T into the gasometer. The gas in passing through the pipe U turns downward and passes up around the hood u through the Water in the top of the gasometer. As the bell rises it IOO IIO

slackens up on the chain ZJ and allows the lever S to drop back against the stop r and causes the pavvl s to engage the next tooth of the ratchet-Wheel q. The gas passes out from the gasometer to the service-pi pes through the pipe X according to consumption. Should there be an excessive generation of gas, so as to cause the bell B to rise abnormally, so as to contact With the enlargement F, the bottom of the trap u will rise above the Water in the gasometer and allow the excess gas to escape through the escape-pipe V. When the gasometer-bell falls again and just before it reaches its lowest position, the lever S is drawn down and the disk M is turned thereby one more point to the right, thus closing the drop at the canister last emptied and opening the drop for the discharge of the next canister. This operation continues automatically until all the canisters are discharged. The dial is to be set at I when the machine is started after each filling, and as the machine operates the number of point-s which have passed the index R will indicate the number of canisters emptied and to be emptied, so that the condition of the machine may at all times be known.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of my apparatus in which the gas is taken from the chamber formed by the enlargement F and cap-piece F at a point above the top thereof in order that by flooding this chamber all the gas may be driven therefrom when occasion arises for refilling the canisters K. In this arrangement of the machine I raise the cap-piece at the center, as shown at f, and extend the outlet-pipe T up into this extension. The plate Iis supported upon a collar t' by means of the bracket or hanger J. The shaft Gr' passes through a suitable stuffingbox in the extension fand is attached to a hood-piece I-I', which surrounds the end of the pipe T, and to this piece H is attached the disk M for operating the canister-drops. The gas as formed Will rise up around the pipe T into the hood II and pass thence into and through the pipe T to the gasometer. Holes h maybe provided in the hood H near the top of the cap-piece F', and it Will be readily seen that when the Water in the stand-pipe C is raised to the level of the top of these holes all the gas Will be driven from this chamber. Instead of Water I may provide a layer of oil in the chamber surrounding the canisters K, and I may regulate the level of this layer of oil by means of the amount of Water let into or out of the stand-pipe C, as may be desired in operating the machine. In this modification the disk M is turned by the shaft G through the medium of the hood H. In other respects the operation and arrangement of parts is the same as that described in reference to Fig. l.

I'Iaving thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A feed mechanism for acetylene-gas generators comprising a plate, a plurality of bottomless carbid-receptacles arising from said plate, drops to close the bottoms of said receptacles, arms on said drops rising through an annular series of slots in said plate, adisk provided With an opening to register With said slots, and mechanism to rotate the disk whereby the arms are actuated to open and close the drops.

2. Afeed mechanism for acetylene-gas generators comprising a vertical shaft at the top -of the generator, a plate suspended Within the generator, a plurality of bottomless carbid-receptacles carried by said plate, drops to close the bottoms of said receptacles, a mechanism operated by the shaft when turned in one direction to open and close the drops, clutch mechanism by which the shaft engages and rotates the plate and receptacles when turned in the opposite direction, a charging-aperture in the generator-top in the lineof travel of the receptacles, and means for imparting motion to the shaft in either direction.

3. An acetylene-gas generator comprisinga gasometer, a Water-receptacle, a chamber above the Water-receptacle in communication with the gasometer, a vertical shaft at the top of said chamber, a plurality of bottomless carbid-receptacles disposed around the shaft Within said chamber, drops to close the bottoms of said receptacles, mechanism operated by the shaft to open and close the drops, a ratchet-gear operated by the rise and fall of the gasometer-bell to impart periodic motion to the shaft, and means for charging the carbid-receptacles.

4. An acetylene-gas generator comprisinga gasometer, a water-receptacle, a chamber above the Water-receptacle in communication with the gasometer, a vertical shaft hung from the top of said receptacle, a plate supported upon said shaft Within the generator, a plurality of bottomless carbidreceptacles carried thereon, drops to close the bottoms of said receptacles, arms projecting from said drops through slots in the plate, a disk to rotate with the shaft above the plate provided with an opening to register with said slots in succession, a clutch whereby the plate is rotated With the disk when turned backward,- means for holding the plate stationary at other times, a ratchet-gear operated by the gasometer-bell to impart periodic motion to the shaft, a dial carried thereby to indicate the number of receptacles discharged, and a charging-aperture in the line of travel of said receptacles.

5. An acetylene-gas generator com prisinga Water-receptacle, a carbid-containing chamber above said receptacle, means for feeding the carbid to the Water in the Water-receptacle, a gas-discharge pipe leading out from above the Water in the Water-receptacle, a hood over and extending below the top of the discharge-pipe, a filler-pipe rising from the Water-receptacle to a point above the level of Ilo the bottom of said hood, whereby the Water in a common base by packing-rin gs substanthe Water-receptacle maybe raised above the tially in the manner shown, feed mechanism 15 bottom of the hood to seal the discharge-pipe in the carbid-chamber operated by the rise when the carbid-containing chamber is to be and fall of the gasometer-bell, and pipes con- 5 recharged, and a draw-ofi' cock to reduce the necting the stand-pipe with the gasometer Water to normal level when the generator is and the gasometer With the service-main. in operation. In testimony whereof I have affixed my sigzo 6. An acetylene-gas generatorcomprisinga nature in presence of tWo witnesses.

stand-pipe constituting the Water-receptacle, y

1o a carbid-containing chamber at the top of said PULASIXI D' VESCOTrl' stand pipe, a gasometer surrounding the Vitnesses:

i stand-pipe, the bottoms of the stand-pipe and i A. S. DIVEN, gasometer Walls being flanged and secured to C. TRACEY STAGG. 

